Sometimes your life story just falls into place

Becoming a family of four overnight changed everything.

Do you ever look back on your life and wonder how you got to where you are?

Our state’s work-from-home order had me doing just that. And it wasn’t in a bad way. I wasn’t having a WTF moment. I was looking back, knowing that I ended up in an amazing, yet unexpected, place professionally. Sometimes your life story just falls into place.

The early days

You see, I always thought I’d be a teacher. I went to college firmly believing that I’d get a degree and teach young, inquisitive minds. I made it about a year and I was off to something else. Retail was first. Next came human resource management and later marketing and HR for a local financial institution. During this time, I was pursuing a Masters Degree in Human Resources Management. I was three classes shy of my degree.

And then, I became a mom. Adopting my two incredible kids at the same time was a life altering event! We picked up our 6-month old son from a hospital in Moscow first. Then we drove to a local orphanage and met our 3-year-old daughter. We went from zero children to a family of four in less than two hours.

When my daughter got cancer a year later, life changed again. I took a hard look at my path and decided to take some time off to be a mom. I retired from my full time job and stopped taking classes. Even then, I worked part-time. I spent evenings and Sundays leading worship at a local church. But, as is often the case with moms, my primary focus was my children.

Time to grow up

Kids grow up and when they do, they need a mom to be less of a mom and more of a guide. The kids no longer needed their personal chauffeur and chef. and that left me trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up! I didn’t stop working during this time of transition. I continued to work part-time for the church and for a friend. I considered resuming my course work towards my Masters. Nothing felt quite right, though.

Almost a year into my personal journey of discovery, I had lunch with someone I knew casually. She owned her own commercial real estate business and needed a part-time admin. That, I could handle! I started working for her in August of 2012 and my life story changed once again!

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